Secret's End
by Lord Aerono
Summary: Two years have passed since the third spirit portal was opened, and Korra is finally beginning to reconnect with her past lives. But when she meets a man who her past lives have seen before, always the same age, she must discover who this man is, and what he intends for her.
1. The Impossible Man

Korra and Asami sat in the outdoor section of a restaurant in Republic City, talking.

"So, how's Future Industries doing?"

Asami smiled. "It's doing very well. Helping to rebuild Republic City after the opening of the new portal was excellent for business. I couldn't be happier. How's reconnecting with your past lives going?"

Korra sighed. "It's going slow. I've connected with Aang and Roku, but I still haven't been able to connect with Kioshi."

Asami leaned forward across the table, placing her hand on Korra's. "Don't worry. You'll find a way."

As Asami spoke, a young man with silver hair and green eyes walked past, wearing a gray coat.

Korra glanced at him, then returned to her conversation with Asami. "I hope so. I really miss being able to talk with my past lives and-"

Suddenly Korra stopped, eyes widening in shock.

"What is it?" Asami asked, concerned.

"That man-I've seen him before."

Asami frowned. "Are you sure? I don't remember him."

"No, I don't mean _I've_ seen him. I mean-"

-Shift-

-Aang glanced at the crowd that had gathered for the Republic City groundbreaking ceremony. As his gaze swept over the crowd, he caught a glimpse of a silver haired man in a gray coat vanishing into the crowd. Aang glanced at his notes and-

-Shift-

-Roku was awakened by a knock on the door. When he opened the door, a young man, with silver hair and green eyes was standing there, who asked for directions to his friend Yaru's house. Roku-

-Shift-

Korra started back in her chair.

"What? What is it?"

Korra bolted upright. "I need to talk to that man. Come on!"

Leaving money on the table, Korra and Asami hurried down the street after the silver-haired man.

"Hey you! In the gray coat! Stop!"

The man casually glanced over his shoulder, then slowly and casually turned back to his walk-

-Before abruptly breaking into a run and darting down an alley.

Korra and Asami followed him, running hard.

The man tried to slow them, using some sort of blade to rip open several sacks of garbage as he passed, letting it spill out behind him.

With a few quick moves, Korra used the earth the clear a path, and she and Asami continued on without slowing.

The man continued into the next street and stopped in front of an oncoming car. As the driver slammed on the brakes, the man held his position for a moment, then dived into a forward roll and came up running, leaving the car parked directly in Korra and Asami's path.

The girls didn't slow, Asami sliding across the car's hood and Korra using earthbending to leap over the car.

In the air, Korra reached out and metalbent a fence the man was passing to pin him to the wall.

The man didn't struggle as the girls ran up, rather waiting patiently for them to arrive.

Korra leaned in to the man's face. "OK pal, start talking. Who are you? And why do my past lives have memories of seeing you at the same age you are now?"

The man remained silent.

"Look, you can talk to me, or you can talk to chief Beifong. It's your choice."

The man chuckled, the first sound Korra had heard him make.

"What's so funny."

The man looked directly into Korra's eyes. "How little you know, Raava."

Korra blinked. "What?"

Suddenly, the man was gone, and the fence had been bent away from the wall.

Korra stepped back in shock, and she and Asami glanced up and down the hallway. There was no one there.


	2. A Lost Package

Korra and Asami headed towards the Republic City police station, talking about what they had just seen.

"So, do your past lives have anything to say? Any ideas on who this guy is?"

Korra shook her head. "No. Aang and Roku only ever saw him once, and only in passing. If they hadn't realized he looked familiar when he passed me, I would never have noticed him."

"Could he be a spirit?"

"I doubt it. I've never even heard of spirits that look anything like people."

"But it's possible?"

"I suppose. I could ask the spirits, see if any of them-"

"Korra!"

The girls looked up to see Mako running towards them.

"Mako!" Korra said as he reached them. "It's good to see you."

"Korra, Chief Beifong just got a message. Some of the Airbenders in the Eastern Air Temple found a hidden room with a small box in it, addressed to Avatar Kioshi."

"Are you serious?" Korra asked excitedly. "What was in it?"

"They haven't opened it yet. They thought opening it might help you reconnect with Kioshi, so they're saving it until you arrive."

"Let them know I'm on my way. Asami, would you like to come with me?"

"Of course." Asami said. "I'll just need stop by my office to let my staff know that I'll be gone for a few days."

"Then let's go." Korra turned to leave, then turned back to Mako. "Oh, could you pass a message to chief Beifong for me?"

"I'd be happy to."

"Please tell her to be on the lookout for a young man with silver hair, in a gray coat. I have memories from both Aang and Roku of meeting him before."

"How is that possible?"

"I don't know. When you find him, be careful. He's got some sort of weird ability. I had him pinned to a wall with a fence, but when I blinked he was gone."

Mako tilted his head curiously. "Korra, are you sure you saw him?"

"Yes! Asami saw him too."

Asami nodded. "It was like he was there one second, then gone the next."

"Alright. I'll pass this on to Lin. It sounds like we should have a word with this guy."

"Thanks Mako! I'll talk to you when I get back."

As Korra and Asami headed to Future Industries HQ, Mako headed back to the police station to report.

"Is that all the description they gave you? That he's young and has silver hair and a gray coat?"

"Yes chief. I don't think that they got all that good a look at the guy."

Chief Beifong sighed. "Alright. Put out a bulletin on the guy. Did you remember to tell Korra about the package at the eastern air temple?"

"Yes chief. She and Asami were headed there right after we finished talking."

"Good that's one problem off of my plate. Now if I could find this guy Korra's looking for, I can get back to my regular work."

There was a knock.

Chief Beifong turned to the door. "Yes? Who is it?"

The window exploded behind her, and a man dived into the room and rolled to his feet.

Mako and Chief Beifong turned to find a man wearing a gray coat, with silver hair and green eyes.

"You!" Chief Beifong dropped into a combat stance, followed by Mako. "Keep your hands where I can see them!"

The man smiled. "So sorry to bother you, Chief Beifong, but I couldn't find Korra at home." The smile turned mocking. "I was hoping you'd help me with a missing person case. I'm just dying to find her."


	3. First Contact

For a long moment, the room is a frozen tableau.

Abruptly the man makes a sudden motion for his belt.

Chief Beifong's arm snaps out, sending a whip of cable to wrap around the intruder, pinning his arms to his sides.

The man drops to his knees. "Help! Help!" He shouts, clearly fighting off laughter. "I'm being kidnapped! Help!"

The door bursts open, and several officers rush in to find Chief Beifong and Mako standing over the bound intruder, who is lying on the ground chuckling quietly.

"What's going on?"

"This man is under arrest for breaking and entering." Cheif Beifong snapped. "Lock him up."

"Yes Chief!"

The newly arrived officers shot out cables, keeping the intruder bound as Beifong retracted her cable, and escorted the still chuckling intruder out of the room.

"What do you think that was about?" Mako asked, raising an eyebrow as he and Beifong relaxed their stances.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out."

A couple hours later, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Mako entered. "Chief, we processed our mystery man."

"And? Who is he?"

"We don't know. There's no record of him anywhere. No pictures, no travel records, nothing. We even checked with the guards at the spirit portal, to see if he'd come through there. None of them remember seeing him. It's like this guy just dropped out of the sky. Also, funny thing. You remember how he went for a weapon when he was in here?"

"I remember. What of it?"

"Well, that's the thing. We searched him thoroughly. We wasn't carrying anything, weapon or otherwise. Not even son much as a wallet."

"Hmm." Lin considered this for a moment, then looked back at Mako."Has he said anything?"

"Nothing we didn't already know. He says he'll talk to you though. Says it's something about Korra."

Lin sighed and got up from her desk. "Then I suppose I don't have much choice. Where is he?"

"Interrogation room 2."

Lin headed up to the interrogation room. Once Mako was in the observation booth, she entered the room.

The silver-haired intruder got to his feet as she entered, hunching a little because of the handcuffs that held him to the arms of his chair. "Lin! How very nice to see you! If I'd known you were coming, I would have baked a cake!"

"Save it. You're going to answer two questions for me." Lin sat down across the table from the prisoner. "Who are you, and what do you want with Korra?"

The man sat down slowly, still smiling, and lounged back in his chair. "Is there a particular order you want your answers in?"

"So long as you answer my questions, I don't care what order you do it in."

The man's smiled got a little broader. Lin had the sensation that she'd lost a point,in a game she hadn't known she was playing.

"Very well then. My name is...that's funny. It's been so long since I thought about it that I've almost forgot. Taimu! That was it. My name is Taimu."

Lin leaned forward. "Alright Taimu, if that is your name, are you going to cut the funny business and start being serious?"

Taimu's smile abruptly vanished. "Certainly." He said, all humor abruptly gone from his voice. "But you'll soon wish I hadn't. As to your second question, I will say this; Korra is going to the eastern air temple. I'm going after her. If you don't get to her before she reaches the temple, she will die."

Lin allowed herself a small smirk. "How were you planning to do that? You're a little stuck at the moment."

Taimu's smile returned, more smug than cheerful. "Lin, after everything that you've done, you really think that I could be just another common criminal?"

Lin started to get up. "Common or not, you are still a criminal, and you'll be staying here, in police custody until Korra returns."

"Bet?"

Something in Taimu's voice made Lin look up at him-

To find him gone, the cuffs that had been holding him shattered, and the window of the observation room crashing to the floor in pieces.

Lin bolted to the empty window to find Mako getting up off the floor, and the door to the hall standing ajar.

"What happened?" Lin asked, vaulting in to the room.

"I don't know." Mako said, rubbing his head. "One moment he was in his chair, the next I was on the floor with the window exploding above me. Where did he go?"

"He got out, but he won't get far. There are officers all over-"

There was a crash of shattered glass.

By the time Mako and Beifong reached the scene, there were already several officers present.

"What happened?" Beifong demanded of the nearest officer.

"That silver-haired guy was in running down the hall. When I wold him to stop, he jumped out the window." The officer's eyes betrayed his mounting confusion. "But when I got to the window, he was gone."


	4. Thrill of the Chase

"Chief, are you sure that you don't want me with you?" Mako asked for the third time, as Lin crossed the roof to her airship.

"I'm certain. If I'm going to have a chance of beating Taimu to Korra, I'll have to move quickly. I'll need you to manage the force while I'm gone."

Mako unconsciously rubbed the crimson scar that covered his left hand and arm, a memento of when he had destroyed Kuvira's giant mech. "If you say so chief. I'd just feel better if I was going with you."

Lin turned and put a hand on Mako's shoulder. "Don't worry. Korra'll be fine. She and Asami can take care of themselves."

Mako stood for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. Should I call Korra and let her know you're coming?"

"Don't bother. I already called Tenzin. Korra and Asami left an hour ago in a Future Industries prototype. Apparently Varrick was tinkering with the radio before they left, and it's not responding."

Chief Beifong turned and headed into her airship, stopping at the top of the ramp to issue further instructions. "You should keep trying to raise her. Hopefully you'll be able to get something through. Have you initiated a search of all outgoing traffic?"

"Yes mam. All boats, airships and trains are being checked. Wherever Taimu is, he's not leaving this city."

Chief Beifong nodded. "Well done. Now, find Taimu. I'll be back in a few days."

"Yes mam!" Mako turned and headed back down as chief Beifong closed the hatch and got her airship underway.

There was a faint click in the back of the airship, lost in the noise of the rotors.

Due to the speed of the Future Industries prototype, it was early evening before chief Beifong had Korra's ship in sight, as she and Asami were securing the ship for the night.

They were clearly surprised to see her ship headed towards them. Fortunately there was enough space in for Lin to land her airship next to Korra's.

Korra was waiting at the bottom of the ramp. "Lin!" She said, clearly surprised to see the police chief. "What are you doing here?"

"Have you seen anything? Anything out of the ordinary?"

Korra glanced at Asami. "Well...no. Nothing at all. Why? What's going on?"

"Good. I was worried he might have beaten me here. You remember your silver haired friend?"

Korra's eyes widened. "The one who escaped from being pinned by a fence?"

Lin nodded. "That's him. His name's Taimu. He broke into my office after you left. We captured him and took him to interrogation. Somehow he broke out of a pair of handcuffs and escaped, vanishing after he jumped through a window. He said that he going to come kill you."

Korra stepped back and looked at Asami again. "Well, aside from you, we haven't seen anyone since we left Republic City."

Asami nodded. "You're the only airship that's come anywhere near us."

"That's good to hear." Lin stepped off the ramp and advanced past the two girls. Korra and Asami turned and followed her. "I had Mako initiate a city-wide hunt for this guy. There's no way he'll be able to get to you before you reach the eastern air temple."

There was a chuckle from behind them. "You have a terrible record on prediction." Said a familiar voice.

All three women turned to see Taimu standing at the top of the ramp to Lin's airship.

Taimu descended the ramp, chuckling and clapping slowly. "I have to admit, I wasn't certain that would work. You're not easy to scare. But when you think the Avatar's in danger, you'll fly though your own blockade to save her."

Taimu stopped clapping and cocked his head to the side. "You really should have checked to see if I was aboard your ship. You took me right to Korra."

"It doesn't matter. You'll never get past me." Lin thrust her arm forward, sending a cable hissing at Taimu.

Taimu vanished.

The cable slammed into the ramp with a loud clang.

Chuckling softly, Taimu stepped around from behind the ramp. "Sorry, but no." He reached out and grabbed the cable in one hand. "Not this time."

Lin started to throw her other cable at Taimu, then screamed as an electrical shock traveled through the cable and into her.

As she slumped to the ground, Taimu smirked and dropped the now-limp cable. "This time capture isn't the plan."

Removing a crude metallic glove from his left hand, Taimu stared at it critically. "You know, I wasn't sure this would work. Too bad it's fried. Oh well."

Taimu tossed the glove over his shoulder and smiled at Korra, seemingly not noticing Asami running for her airship. "Well Raava, I guess it's just you and me."

Korra didn't respond, rather leaping at Taimu, a fireball flying before her.


	5. Un-mortal Conflict

Taimu dived and rolled, barely avoiding Korra and her fireball. "Woah, hang on there Raava."

Korra spun and fired another burst of flame.

Taimu dodged. "I said hang on. I'm not here to-" He stopped. A gleam came into his eyes. "Actually, why not? I've been wanting to try this for a while."

Taimu ducked under Korra's next attack and stepped to the side, giving Korra enough of a push to send her past him.

Korra whirled to face Taimu. This time she didn't charge in recklessly, but rather went slow, advancing on Taimu with flames at the ready.

Taimu slowly retreated. "Did I upset you, Raava?"

"My name is Korra."

Taimu shook his head. "No. That's the name of your shell. You are Raava. And the person behind me-" Taimu dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding Asami's shock glove. "- is your friend Asami."

Asami recovered her balance and turned to face Taimu, side by side with Korra.

Taimu cocked his head to one side. "Really Raava? The two of you?"

The girl's exchanged surprised looks as Taimu continued. "I have to say, this I didn't expect. It's nice to know I can still be surprised. I approve."

"Who said we need your approval?" Korra asked, punctuating her query with a fireball.

Taimu stepped to the side to avoid the flames, continuing the motion to dodge Asami's follow-up attack. "I didn't say you did. I just thought you might appreciate it."

"I don't need your approval, or anyone else's."

Taimu shrugged. "Your loss."

Korra gestured, and the ground erupted around Taimu.

Before the hungry earth could seal him in a cage, Taimu grabbed onto one of the rising sections, using it to launch himself clear of the enclosure. He landed lightly, and was immediately forced to roll to evade Asami.

"You're good." Taimu said, backing away from his opponents. "I hadn't planned to do this, but I think I'll have to. Raava, do I have your permission to draw my weapons?"

Korra paused in surprise. "What?" She asked.

"I'll take that as a yes." Taimu reached behind his back, flickered, and brought out a long staff that he raised in a defensive position.

Asami darted in, glove sparking, but her efforts to land a touch on Taimu were all redirected by his staff.

Korra sent several chunks of earth sailing at Taimu in quick succession.

"Throwing mud? Really Raava?" Taimu ducked a rock, "I thought-" rolled out of the way of the second, "-you were-" batted away the third and fourth, "-better than-" and brought his staff down on the fifth, shattering it. "-that!"

Taimu smiled.

Korra ignited a fireball, drew back her arm, and blinked in shock.

Taimu had crossed the distance between the two of them without seeming to move. Still in the same stance, though now looking rather tired, his staff was inches from her throat.

Taimu chuckled. "Well now, we seem to be at an impasse. You throw, or Asami touches me, and you loose your throat. I move, one of you can take me out."

Asami carefully moved behind Taimu as he continued talking. "Now that we're all holding still, can we please talk?"

Taimu's staff dipped a little, coming to rest against Korra's collarbone. "Or do I have to do something reprehensible first? Is that the only way to make you-"

Asami lunged forward, bringing her glove into contact with Taimu and shocking him.

What happened next was complicated.

For Asami, it seemed as if Taimu jerked briefly and collapsed, as she had expected him to.

Asami looked up at her friend, who's hand had moved from above her head, where it had been holding the fireball, to at her side, flame extinguished. "Korra? What's wrong?"

Korra started. "What? Nothing!" Korra raised her hands, imprisoning the stunned Taimu in shackles of earth. "Can you check on Lin? We're going to need her when we talk to this guy."

Asami gave her girlfriend a piercing glance. "Alright. But are you certain you're alright?"

"I'm fine." Korra snapped, before softening. "I just...need a moment to think."

Asami rested her hand on Korra's shoulder. "I understand. Take a couple minutes. I'll be back after I make sure Lin's OK."

As Asami turned and walked away, Korra looked at the man who had attacked her, trying to understand what had happened only moments ago.

When Asami's glove touched Taimu's back, it looked very different for Korra than it did for Asami.

When the glove made contact, all sound had stopped. The light dimmed, as if a cloud had eclipsed the sun, and Korra found she could move only slowly.

Before her, Taimu had turned his head, and looked at the motionless Asami. He had turned back to Korra, a quizzical look in his eyes as he pondered a question. Coming to a decision, he'd taken a deep breath, then let it out in a hiss of surprise as he saw Korra's hand lower to her side.

Surprise clear on his face, Taimu had looked up at Korra, then smiled.

"Well." He said, smiling. "That's interesting."

Light and sound had returned then as the glove delivered the shock that rendered Taimu unconscious.

But, as Korra stood there, thinking over the confusing events of that encounter, there was one thing that stood out. One thing that scared her more than she would ever admit to.

When he had looked at her, in that brief window where time stood still, his eyes had not been those of a human. She had seen eyes like those before, when facing her uncle after his merge with Vaatu. But where his eyes had been orange, Taimu's had not been.

His eyes had been glowing a bright tan.


	6. Double Interrogation

Taimu awoke nearly an hour later, his hands bound behind his back, sitting against a tree, with Lin and Korra standing over him.

Lin leaned towards Taimu. "Alright you. Talk! Why-"

Taimu broke in, talking rapidly. "The person known to the world as the Avatar is not empowered by a means of their own. They hold their powers due to being the vessel containing the spirit Raava, the spirit of light. The Avatar's mission to keep balance stems from-"

Lin grabbed Taimu by the collar. "Stop! You'll answer the questions I ask, not the ones you feel like spouting off."

Taimu sighed. "Fine. Be that way."

Lin let Taimu slump back against the tree. "Better. Now, who are you, who do you work for, and what do you want with Korra?"

Taimu looked thoughtful for a moment, and rubbed his chin. "Taimu, myself, nothing much. That cover everything?"

Korra stepped forward, eyes glowing white. She grabbed Taimu by the front of his jacket and effortlessly lifted him into the air.

"I'd start giving her some real answers if I were you." Asami said, casually leaning against a tree. "She's not happy with you right now."

"Why? I didn't hurt anyone, and I gave her answers."

Korra slammed Taimu back into the tree and glared at him.

With a lightning-quick motion, Taimu brought his legs up and kicked Korra in the chest, sending her staggering backwards and causing him to fall to the ground, where he laid still.

Korra got her balance back, and stepped towards Taimu.

"Raava, if you want any more answers from me, I suggest you keep your Avatar on a leash."

There was a moment of tense silence, then Korra stepped back, the light vanishing from her eyes.

Taimu pushed himself up into a sitting position. "That's better. Now, where were we? Right. Who I am and what I want. Well, the answer to that is rather complicated. Firstly, I am-"

Asami straightened suddenly. "Wait. We tied your hands. How did you get loose?"

Korra and Lin looked down at Taimu's hands, to see that they were indeed unbound and resting in his lap.

Taimu smiled. "Finally, somebody noticed."

Suddenly Taimu was on his feet, his body having seemed not to move through the interveening space.

Korra and Lin started back as Taimu spoke. "I had hoped this shell would catch on quicker, but it seems your avatar needs a hint. Think about it. You saw how I do what I do. Time standing still? Who could cause that?"

"What are you talking about?" Korra demanded. "I've never met anyone with that kind of power."

Taimu sighed in annoyance. "The last avatar could put pieces together a lot quicker. I'm not talking to you, shell. I'm talking to Raava, and hoping she remembers the other part of me."

There was a moment of silence.

"Oh come on! It's only been 10,000 years! Here, I'll give you another hint."

For a moment, Taimu's eyes glowed tan, as they had when he had played with time. "Do I need to explain it again."

Korra opened her mouth to protest that it meant nothing, then paused. Unbidden, an unfamiliar name floated to her lips.

"Shijan?" She asked, confused by the name.

A look of glee filled Taimu's face, and he bowed. "So you DO remember me. I glad that something I said finally jogged your memory."


	7. The Truth Comes Out

"Korra, do you know this man?" Lin Beifong asked.

Taimu answered before Korra could. "No. She and I have never met before today. But the Avater's not the one who I wanted to remember me. It's the spirit that she's the avatar of that I wanted to remind of me."

"I don't understand. Who's Shijan?" Asami asked.

Once again, Taimu prevented Korra from answering. "A spirit. Raava and Vaatu are known to you, great spirits of light and dark. But they are not the only great spirits. There are not many of them, but they do exist. Shijan is one of them. He is the spirit of time, who's existence allows for the ticking of clocks." Taimu smiled. "In light of that, I suppose I should introduce myself more properly. I am Tiamu, Avatar of Shijan, and I greet you, Korra, Avatar of Raava." He bowed.

Korra was stunned for a moment, then recovered. "How can you be the Avatar of Shijan?" She asked. "A human body can't withstand a great spirit without using the power of harmonic convergence to stabilize the merge. I've seen both convergences in the last 10,000 years, and you weren't at either of them."

Taimu's smile grew broader. "Ah, but you make a false presumption. You assume that I would have had to enter the spirit world to draw on the power of the convergence. I did not. The power can be accessed through the spirit portal on the material plane."

Asami broke in curious. "You say you merged with the spirit of time. How did that happen? From what Korra told me, Raava was less than inclined to merge with Wan until given no other choice."

Taimu bowed again, this time to Asami. "At last, one of the questions I was waiting for. It has been a long time since I could tell this tale, and I do so enjoy telling it. When I first met Shijan, in the few years before Raava took a human avatar, we got along quite well. He had entered the mortal plane to observe those more strongly subject to the passage of time. He was delighted to have a study subject so close at hand, and I was honored to meet him. We rapidly became friends, and he decided that not only would keeping me around be of interest, but that seeing the world through the eyes of a mortal would make the chaos he was observing in the lives of mortals easier to comprehend. And so we traveled to the north pole, and during harmonic convergence, we merged."

Korra broke in. "How did you possibly know what to do? Raava and Wan had yet to merge."

Taimu gave Korra a pitying look. "Shijan is master of time. He knew what would happen, and so did it first. Sadly, the merge blocked him from accessing that ability, even as it granted me certain advantages. I don't age, and I heal quickly. Additionally, I can channel a fragment of Shijan's power to enter an avatar state, stepping outside time for a brief period." He gave a self-effacing smile. "Sadly, because I have no bending ability, I can only handle the power for a few seconds, and repeated use wears me out."

Lin started as she realized something. "That's how you got out of the interrogation room. And how you evaded Avatar Korra."

Taimu nodded. "You are correct. I have made a point of visiting each avatar once during their lifetime, as Shijan has been curious as to how the merge has progressed. My apologies for breaking into your office, but once I heard where Korra was going, I had to stop her from arriving."

"Why?" Demanded Korra, indignant. "Why would you want to stop me from reconnecting with my past lives?"

Taimu took a step back, wearing a shocked expression. "Stop you? My dear avatar, I wish you nothing but the best in your efforts. I had to stop you from opening that box. It was something I intercepted long ago, after Kioshi's defeat of Chin the conqueror. It was sent by loyal retainers of Chin, who survived their master's defeat and wished retribution on Kioshi for killing him."

"Do you know what's in it?"

Taimu shook his head. "No. Only that it is something they claimed could destroy the avatar. As I never knew what it was, I dared not open it, or let it be found. After the slaughter of the Air Nomads, I hid the box in the air temples, moving it every few years. It seems bad luck that it has been found now."

"Why didn't you just tell me about the box?" Lin asked, annoyance plain in her voice. "Why play this ridiculous game with us?"

Taimu shrugged. "For the same reason as my earlier comments. I do have an audience to perform for. Another reason is that I couldn't be certain my warnings would be received or heeded quickly enough to matter."

"Well," Asami said. "now that we know, we can send word not to open the box."

"The question is, what do we do with you?" Lin added.

"With me? Nothing. I intend to vanish into the shadows once more. I have never desired prominence. I will fade away into the shadows, and you will not see me until the next avatar."

Taimu turned to go, paused, then turned back. "Actually, before I go, there is something I could do, by way of an apology for disrupting your schedules. A gift, for Raava's Avatar."

"What if I don't want it? You've not exactly been trustworthy."

Taimu smiled. "Not even if the gift is reconnecting you to your past lives?"


	8. Flow of Time

There was stunned silence in response to Taimu's announcement.

"What did you say?" Korra asked.

"I can restore your connection to your past lives. Probably. Not sure. I haven't tried something like this before."

Asami cut into his rambling. "How is that possible?"

"I just said I don't know that it is. I think it might be, because I can influence time. Your connections with your past lives are already healing. Left on their own, they might take decades to completely heal. I think I can speed that up."

There was another pause.

Lin broke it. "I don't trust you."

Taimu shrugged. "You don't have to. It's Raava's trust I need."

Lin turned to Korra. "You're not considering this, right?"

"He's already attacked you once. Are you sure you can trust him?" Asami added.

"No, I'm not. But I think he's telling the truth, that he really can help me reconnect with my past lives."

"Well, that's one of us. I have no idea whether or not this will work. I have not tried this before."

The three woman turned to Taimu. "What do you mean? This was your idea."

"Yes, and if Raava asks I will do it. But she needs to know that I cannot guarantee anything about this process. I will not be blamed for anything that may go wrong. Don't misunderstand me, I think I can do it. But you need to know that I am not certain."

Taimu made eye contact with Korra. "Korra, are you sure you want me to make this attempt?"

Asami and Lin waited for Korra's answer.

Finally, it came. "If there's any chance that this...method of yours might help me reconnect to my past lives, then I'm willing to take the risk. I'm ready."

Taimu bowed. "Very well. Then hold still."

Taimu stepped forward and took Korra's hand.

For Lin and Asami, what happened next was over in an instant. For Taimu and Korra, it took much longer.

Light and sound dimmed as Taimu took them into his window of stopped time. "I need you to enter your Avatar State."

"Why-" Korra began.

Taimu interrupted. "Just do it!"

Korra, though confused, complied, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them, glowing white.

Suddenly she wasn't seeing what was before her, but clouds, stretching away into the distance.

To her right were Aang and Roku. Taimu stood facing her. To his left, facing the past Avatars of Raava, were two more of him, in similar but different attire.

Korra realized that the outfits Taimu wore matched the memory of the Avatar when they had seen him. She opened her mouth the speak, but was cut off by a muted roll of thunder.

Kioshi appeared next to Roku, as another copy of Taimu appeared, this one in green pants and tunic.

Korra felt a twitch, as if a closed door in her mind had been opened.

Korra started again to speak, and was again cut off, this time by Taimu. He spoke only two words. "Brace yourself."

Korra hesitated a moment, confused. Then, as more thunder began to roll, and more avatars and versions of Taimu began to appear, Korra realized why he had warned her, and too late tried to brace herself.

The torrent of reconnections left Korra reeling, exhausted and exhilarated at the same time, as all of her broken connections were restored.

The end came suddenly, as Korra's connection to Wan was restored, leaving her shaking. Were it not for the nature of the place they stood, she would have fallen.

Taimu waited patiently for her to recover, the line of iterations of himself and the Avatar fading away to nothing as he waited.

After a few moments, Korra recovered enough to speak. "How did you...what did you do?"

"I used my memories of your past lives to isolate your connection to each avatar, then accelerated the link to the point it would have healed. Once I managed it with Kioshi, and knew what I was doing, I did the rest of your lives at once."

"You could have warned me."

"I did. Now, before I return us to the flow of time, I wanted to tell you something. You now, and in all your lives to come. My time as a secret has ended. I will remain near you, in the shadows, watching over you, and if ever you or a future life need my aid, I will be there."

Korra opened her mouth to ask a question.

Time resumed in a rush.

Lin and Asami hurried to Korra as she doubled over and collapsed.

"Are you alright? What happened?" Lin demanded.

"I'm fine." Korra said, slowly getting to her feet. "It worked, just took a lot out of me."

Taimu shrugged."I warned you that the results might be unpredictable."

Lin turned to Taimu. "Wipe that grin off your face. Whether on not you helped Korra regain her connection to her past lives, you still broke the law, and you're going back to Republic City to-"

Taimu vanished, leaving Korra, Asami, and Lin staring at the place where he had been.

 **A/N: Sequel is now live. Enjoy The Crimson Petal.**


	9. Author's Note

A/N: As requested, there is now a sequel. Link is below. Enjoy!

s/11496695/1/Secret-s-End


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